30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the arod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
-compare
this verse to verse 24. The description
of those pressing forward and of their actions are very, if not exactly,
similar and yet as we discover later in the verse that these seemed to remain
after partaking of the fruit… why? What
is/are the differences between these groups?
“continually”
-another
important word that tells us the requirements of reaching through the mist of
darkness to the tree. There must be consistency
and commitment. We cannot
vacillate, the journey is demanding and although we may “get away” with some
lapses I don’t believe that we can always count on getting to the tree if we
occasionally let go of the rod.
Eventually we will find ourselves disconnected and hopelessly lost. The goal demands strict adherence.
"...came forth and fell down..."
-the
journey is long and hard
-a token
of reverence
“fell down”
-what a
beautiful description! It tells me two
things:
1. the journey is exhausting. Physically and spiritually the effort to
finally arrive at the tree is demanding.
Are we equipped and sufficiently strong to pursue the path?
2.
this might be the one hint that
gives us answer to the question posed in verse 30 (what is the difference between
the two groups – those who made it to the tree and those who did not). The falling down could also illustrate,
besides exhaustion, a quality that sets the two groups apart. Humility that is rooted in the proper motive
for pursuing the path is vital to a correct understanding of God, his love, who
we are and what we are to become. A
person who is worthy to partake of God’s love and presence is one who
recognized his lack of merit and is dependant before the Savior. There is no hope for worldly power, glory or
position, only a quite desire to worship the Father through character
beautification and service to his fellow man.
This humility stands in stark contrast to the “fine apparel” of those in
the spacious building. Every soul will
be exposed and each will be made to finally choose for him and herself which to
choose. Even those who have partaken, if
it is not done for the right reasons or if they are not sufficiently filled
with appropriate character, they will abandon the tree and the fruit and make
way to what ultimately drives them: the
qualities found in the spacious
building -selfishness, praise,
worldliness, status, materialism, rudeness, competition, fun and indulgence.
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